I didn't read the game thread from last night's game, so I'm not sure if this has been discussed or not, but I read an article about it today that rips AJ pretty good for "acting" like he got hit by that pitch in the 8th last night.

Personally I love the way AJ plays the game. His heads up, do anything approach to win approach is awesome to have on this team. Funny how the writer mentions the alleged spiking of Morneau, yet fails to mention game 2 of the ALCS when a similar heads up play helped win the game for us.

konerko 14

04-14-2010, 01:42 PM

He's right haha

doublem23

04-14-2010, 01:46 PM

that guy is obviously an idiot, he said Romero was distracted by the next hitter, Alexis Rios

No he said the little argument that ensued about AJ's HBP distracted Romero and Rios, the very next batter, took him deep.

KMcMahon817

04-14-2010, 01:51 PM

Wouldn't be all that surprised to AJ take one square in the back in his first AB tonight.

Bobby Thigpen

04-14-2010, 01:53 PM

he was so totally not hit by the pitch
This direct quote is really all you need to know about the validity of this "article" and the credibility of its' writer.

Dibbs

04-14-2010, 01:55 PM

I don't take a writer seriously if he can't even spell the last name of the person he is writing the article about. (Piersynski)

Jim Shorts

04-14-2010, 01:57 PM

[Hawk impression]

I love AJ

[/Hawk impression]

That was simply a heads up play by a "gamer"

WhiteSox1989

04-14-2010, 02:01 PM

I love AJ.

That is all.

konerko 14

04-14-2010, 02:10 PM

I don't take a writer seriously if he can't even spell the last name of the person he is writing the article about. (Piersynski)

and he spelled alex rios, alexis rios

DSpivack

04-14-2010, 02:11 PM

and he spelled alex rios, alexis rios

That is his full name.

doublem23

04-14-2010, 02:15 PM

and he spelled alex rios, alexis rios

Alex is short for Alexis... I'm not even sure when he started going by the nickname, a few years ago when he was an up and coming superstar with the Jays, he was going by Alexis.

konerko 14

04-14-2010, 02:17 PM

oh, haha, nevermind then:tongue:

white sox bill

04-14-2010, 02:31 PM

If a petty distraction like this effected Romero, then he didn't deserve the no no to begin with. Only studs like Burls can perform past all this

doublem23

04-14-2010, 02:37 PM

If a petty distraction like this effected Romero, then he didn't deserve the no no to begin with. Only studs like Burls can perform past all this

Well, in Burls' 2 no-hitters he only had 1 guy reach base, and he picked him off a few moments after he walked him. :cool:

I don't think Romero was distracted for Alex's AB, he was just running out of gas. He was sharp all day and hung a beach ball to a guy who already had an axe to grind.

white sox bill

04-14-2010, 02:39 PM

Well, in Burls' 2 no-hitters he only had 1 guy reach base, and he picked him off a few moments after he walked him. :cool:
Absolutely..in effect he pitched 2 perfectos!!

BadBobbyJenks

04-14-2010, 02:45 PM

He is our guy, that is all that really needs to be said here.

longshot7

04-14-2010, 03:05 PM

Absolutely..in effect he pitched 2 perfectos!!

Actually, no. A walk is a walk.

TDog

04-14-2010, 03:15 PM

Actually, no. A walk is a walk.

In fact, in his first no hitter, he only had to retire 26 hitters at the plate. Some would say that retiring 26 hitters at the plate and one on the bases is a more impressive feat, perhaps more impressive than striking out 20 hitters while pitching a one-hitter because it requires a broader skill range. But comparing things that happened in different leagues in different millennia is pointless.

Besides, retiring a man on the bases wouldn't seem to be much of a challenge for Mr. Buehrle as it would for other pitchers.

JermaineDye05

04-14-2010, 03:45 PM

AJ wasn't hit by the pitch.

But he's paid to help us win ballgames. I don't see anything wrong with what he did. The umpire could have easily said, "What are you doing? Get back in there."

AJ just showed why he's one of the smartest, if not the smartest player on this team.

wilburaga

04-14-2010, 03:57 PM

I appreciate AJ's gamesmanship. He's always thinking. But I'm not sure it's a good idea to make an umpire look foolish, especially if you're a catcher.

DumpJerry

04-14-2010, 04:24 PM

I don't think Romero was distracted for Alex's AB, he was just running out of gas. He was sharp all day and hung a beach ball to a guy who already had an axe to grind.
I agree he was starting to run on vapors. After getting two k's per inning, he did not strike anyone out after the 6th.

Steelrod

04-14-2010, 05:00 PM

I appreciate AJ's gamesmanship. He's always thinking. But I'm not sure it's a good idea to make an umpire look foolish, especially if you're a catcher.
Both catchers were pulling balls back over the plate to try to get strikes called. It's part of the game, not cheating or a lack of respect!

Vestigio

04-14-2010, 05:04 PM

Let the whiners whine. The Jays still won the game so none of this should be an issue

GoGoCrede

04-14-2010, 05:31 PM

So does this mean AJ will be steadily booed every time we go to Toronto now, like he is in Minnesota, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, etc., etc.? :redneck

SoxGirl4Life

04-14-2010, 05:32 PM

lol... I know better than to read anything on ESPN, but this guy is a dork. AJ should be punished? GMAB

Soem people still want to see Pierzynski punished for running to first in the 2005 ALCS when the home plate umpire failed to call him out on strike three.

You might even find a Cubs fan who thinks Pierzynski should be punished for taking a puch from Michael Barrett.

GoGoCrede

04-14-2010, 05:43 PM

Soem people still want to see Pierzynski punished for running to first in the 2005 ALCS when the home plate umpire failed to call him out on strike three.

You might even find a Cubs fan who thinks Pierzynski should be punished for taking a puch from Michael Barrett.

AJ slapped his hand down on home plate like a douche! He was asking for it! He walked where Barrett was walking.

BadBobbyJenks

04-14-2010, 05:44 PM

We would all be super pissed had John Buck did that to Danks. But oh well, WAR AJ!

SoxGirl4Life

04-14-2010, 05:47 PM

We would all be super pissed had John Buck did that to Danks. But oh well, WAR AJ!

We would be pissed. But would national "writers" be calling John Buck a cheater? Highly doubtful.

HomeFish

04-14-2010, 05:48 PM

I love AJ

JermaineDye05

04-14-2010, 05:49 PM

This is pretty much the same thing as putting your arm out to get hit by a pitch, like what Buck did to Peavy during his first start.

We were livid, rightfully so, but he shouldn't be "punished". It's part of the game. The bottom line is the umpire still called it.

Milkman43

04-14-2010, 05:59 PM

Absolutely..in effect he pitched 2 perfectos!!

Wasn't the guy he picked off Sammy Sosa?

GoGoCrede

04-14-2010, 06:00 PM

Wasn't the guy he picked off Sammy Sosa?

Yep. :smile: It was awesome.

#1swisher

04-14-2010, 06:21 PM

In fact, in his first no hitter, he only had to retire 26 hitters at the plate. Some would say that retiring 26 hitters at the plate and one on the bases is a more impressive feat, perhaps more impressive than striking out 20 hitters while pitching a one-hitter because it requires a broader skill range. But comparing things that happened in different leagues in different millennia is pointless.

Besides, retiring a man on the bases wouldn't seem to be much of a challenge for Mr. Buehrle as it would for other pitchers.

TDog, I would like to add this to my sig...with your permission. *if/when I figure out how!* Thanks in advance. :cool:

WhiteSox5187

04-14-2010, 06:23 PM

We would be pissed. But would national "writers" be calling John Buck a cheater? Highly doubtful.

If Kevin Youkilis did this it would be a heady play by a heady ballplayer trying to get his team a win.

Frontman

04-14-2010, 06:26 PM

Wouldn't be all that surprised to AJ take one square in the back in his first AB tonight.

I hope they're that stupid in Toronto to do so. A free baserunner and put the umps on alert early.

Boondock Saint

04-14-2010, 06:30 PM

We would be pissed. But would national "writers" be calling John Buck a cheater? Highly doubtful.

Ding!

If Kevin Youkilis did this it would be a heady play by a heady ballplayer trying to get his team a win.

Ding!

A smart play like this is always a smart play unless it's done against you, or people don't like the guy. Otherwise, it's cheating.

wassagstdu

04-14-2010, 06:39 PM

AJ "spiked Justin Morneau" because Morneau had blocked first base with his foot on an earlier play. I applauded AJ for that.

GlassSox

04-14-2010, 07:02 PM

Go AJ! It's all part of baseball. Let them whine.

TDog

04-14-2010, 07:13 PM

TDog, I would like to add this to my sig...with your permission. *if/when I figure out how!* Thanks in advance. :cool:

I feel honored that you would ask. Permission granted, of course.

dickallen15

04-14-2010, 10:51 PM

If Kevin Youkilis did this it would be a heady play by a heady ballplayer trying to get his team a win.
On this site it would be a BS move if it happened against the White Sox. Whatever works. If the umpire bought it, it is a good play whether he's a White Sox or not

mbwhitesox

04-14-2010, 11:40 PM

I was watching tonight's game on a pretty decent sized HDTV and when they showed the replay of AJ's at-bat last night it actually does kind of look like the ball just grazes the front of his foot. Anyone else notice this or am I seeing things?

FielderJones

04-14-2010, 11:41 PM

I was watching tonight's game on a pretty decent sized HDTV and when they showed the replay of AJ's at-bat last night it actually does kind of look like the ball just grazes the front of his foot. Anyone else notice this or am I seeing things?

Looked like a clean miss to me (on 51" HD). That's why I love AJ so much, it was close enough he thought he could get away with it, and he did!

mbwhitesox

04-14-2010, 11:45 PM

Looked like a clean miss to me (on 51" HD). That's why I love AJ so much, it was close enough he thought he could get away with it, and he did!

Must have been wishful thinking on my part :redneck

Frankfan4life

04-15-2010, 03:18 AM

lol... I know better than to read anything on ESPN, but this guy is a dork. AJ should be punished? GMAB

I like Neyer, but he is a Royals fan, why should we take him seriously?

oeo

04-15-2010, 04:20 AM

AJ is AJ and it probably didn't hit him, but there's not enough evidence either way from the replays there are. It looks like it may have actually nicked the front of his foot. Only AJ knows if it truly hit him. John Buck was right there and didn't argue, so apparently he doesn't know either, or it actually did hit him.

These fools that say it without a doubt did not him must have special camera views or zoom features you only see in movies because it's not conclusive at all.

white sox bill

04-15-2010, 07:21 AM

So do all the AJ haters of the world think its cheating when a hockey player flops around on the ice like a reeled in bass to draw a penalty? Or the punter that deserves an Oscar for a deking a ref on a roughing call?

Its called smart....the slackers can call it what they want. Once again AJ proves through controversy how savvy he is.

g0g0

04-15-2010, 08:45 AM

I actually don't think the video the guy linked proved anything. It looked like it knicked him because the ball changed direction right where it would have hit his foot before hitting the dirt.

But his line about "flopping like a french soccer player" had me rolling! AJ definitely did a little bad acting to make sure the ump knew something had happened.

aryzner

04-15-2010, 09:01 AM

I agree with oeo. I've watched it multiple times now and it does look like it was entirely possible that it DID nick the front of the foot. But I can't really tell one way or another.

pythons007

04-15-2010, 09:26 AM

I'm sorry, but what about the guys that dilerately try to get hit? Leaning into the pitch instead of trying to get out of the way. I saw Soriano lean into pitch when it was over the plate!

AJ isn't the first one to do this either! Ever since 2005, reporters and the like are always picking AJ and his situations out. It's the umpires job to make that call. I've seen umpires call back players they felt weren't hit. Think about it this way, it's just like the umpire blowing a called strike.

C-Dawg

04-15-2010, 11:22 AM

AJ isn't the first one to do this either! Ever since 2005, reporters and the like are always picking AJ and his situations out. It's the umpires job to make that call. I've seen umpires call back players they felt weren't hit. Think about it this way, it's just like the umpire blowing a called strike.

Also in 2005, Joe Crede was called back when everyone agreed he was hit by a pitch; the umpires felt he didn't do enough to get out of the way.

BadBobbyJenks

04-15-2010, 12:56 PM

AJ is AJ and it probably didn't hit him, but there's not enough evidence either way from the replays there are. It looks like it may have actually nicked the front of his foot. Only AJ knows if it truly hit him. John Buck was right there and didn't argue, so apparently he doesn't know either, or it actually did hit him.

These fools that say it without a doubt did not him must have special camera views or zoom features you only see in movies because it's not conclusive at all.